1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to appliances for preparing foodstuffs, and more particularly to an electric tabletop grill plate appliance especially suited for tortilla cuisine.
2. Description of Related Art
An electric grill plate appliance provides a lightweight, portable cooking appliance that a user can conveniently transport manually for table top or counter top use. It includes an electric cooking plate that is sometimes called an electric grill plate. The electric grill plate itself includes two basic components: (i) a plate component with a cooking surface (usually non-stick), and (ii) an electric heating element component in heat conducting relation to the plate component. The user simply plugs the heating element component into an electric outlet, adjusts the heating element temperature control knob to a selected range, arranges foodstuffs on the non-stick cooking surface of the plate component, and then tends the foodstuffs as needed until all is cooked as desired.
Such cooking appliances enjoy popular approval. But consumers continue to look for new healthy culinary adventures that challenge existing electric tabletop grill plate designs. Users want simpler, lighter, home-style cooking, ethnic breads/dishes, regional cooking, and fresh quality produce. They want the electric tabletop grill plate they use to help them create the new, interesting, and fun meals they envision . . . tortilla cuisine included.
Tortilla cuisine refers to edibles that include or are served with tortillas. Fajitas provide a good example. Fajitas are marinated strips (usual beef or chicken) that are usually grilled or broiled and served with flour tortillas and various savory fillings. To prepare fajitas with existing electric grill plates, the cook arranges the meat or chicken strips on the cooking surface of the grill, along with red, green, and yellow peppers, onions, tomatoes, seasonings, and so forth, while at the same time warming some tortillas on the stove top, in the oven, or in the microwave. When the foodstuffs are cooked, he adds some to a tortilla for consumption, or simply leaves the cook foodstuffs and warmed tortillas at the table for his guests to combine.
The problem is that the cook must resort to the stove top, oven, microwave, or other appliance to warm the tortilla. That means another appliance and the restrictions thereby imposed (e.g., the cost, the space, the electricity, an additional electrical outlet, and so forth). Thus, manufacturers and users need some way to alleviate that concern.